Reese WitherspoonLegally Blonde Illegally ParkedAnd She Gets Away With It

11/3/2014 2:55 PM PST

Reese Witherspoon may have found a police officer who knows who she is ... and that could be how she charmed her way out of a parking ticket.

Reese was leaving boxing class in Brentwood Monday afternoon when she came across a traffic cop who was writing her a ticket ... but Reese flashed that smile and the officer responded by cutting her a break.

An official from the L.A. Department of Transportation tells TMZ ... Reese got to the officer "prior to completing the citation" ... therefore it stands to reason the officer had started to write her up.

The official adds, "The individual was allowed to depart, as would any other motorists in a similar circumstance."